Language+&+Culture

** Language, Culture, and Multicultural Education  ** By Fanny A and Esperanza S    Culture is learned, shared, dynamic, a struggle for survival and is manifested in behavior. There is a connection between bilingual education and multicultural education, although they developed separately. For English Language Learners (ELLs) and other students, schools must acknowledge and validate students’ primary language and be culturally sensitive to who they are. All students can benefit from an education that is both bilingual and multicultural. Provide bilingual education to all students incorporates many of the goals embodied in multicultural education. A benefit is that language and culture can be used as a resource for learning. Learning about new cultures will expose us to our differences and similarities. Many times, ELLs will have low academic achievement, because they lack proficiency in English. Teaching a second language should be an additive process and should not replace the culture at home. In the United States, education for minorities often means giving up your native language. If cognitive development continues in the native language than students have a better chance to reach their intellectual potential. However, students who want to change cultural identities also want to change their linguistic identification. This shift of cultural identities can occur before first language competence is achieved, and may result in “semilingualism”. Semi-lingualism is when there is no competence in any language. Students must learn English, if they are to fully participate in this dominant society. However, negative attitudes toward features of the dominant culture may inhibit learning. Students should not view culture as threatening, to participate fully in the dominant society. Multicultural education is important for all educational personnel. Teachers should be able to understand students culturally based and individual styles, and to match teaching styles to them. Multicultural awareness can also develop interpersonal awareness and empathy to diverse students. Bicultural education should be an enriching experience and an experience that is not limiting or compensatory.
 * Chapter VII **

1. Multicultural education is most effective when it is in-depth, long term, and infused within the overall curriculum 2. Intercultural knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of teachers have powerful effects on the quality of intercultural relations in schools and classrooms. 3. Different cultural groups have different communication patterns and assumptions. Communication in general include animation/emotion, directness/indirectness, eye contact, gestures, pause time, space, and vocal patterns 4. Teaching a second language means teaching a second culture, as well. This process should be an additive process and not replace the culture at home. 5. Language and culture are related to one another and when learning and/or teaching a new language takes place, culture has to be included to enhance the learning of the language. 6. Native languages shift as English is introduced as a second language, causing language shock. Many reported having difficulties in assimilating into a new culture, the language shift takes place when children learn English from sources such as classmates, television, friends and family. Children will reject speaking their native language because they feel pressures by schools and classmates to conform to the English language. If they don't assimilate, they will be ridiculed and feel a sense of shame. 7. Identity shifts as a result of cultural assimilation. The newcomer tries to fit in and ends up changing so much that he/she no longer may fit in either culture. Amos, Yukari Takimoto (2008) //Stereotypes in Disguise: The Dual School lives of Japanese Immigrant Students// International Journal of Multicultural Education, Vol. 10, No1, pg1-13. This article provides an in-depth analysis of Japanese behaviors and in US and Japanese schools. In US schools, the Japanese were isolated and could not socialize with members of their own ethnic group. The Japanese mingle with friends that were ethnically and racially different from themselves. They are quite, shy, and reserved. When confronted with teasing Japanese felt embarrassed. The students were sensitive to how other people perceive them. Good grades are important to maintaining their pride. The Japanese high self-confidence was partly determined by how others perceive them. They understood that they have to attain high academic performance, however they also understood that too much standing out is dangerous. In contrast to Japanese behavior in Japanese' schools, their behavior is quite contrary. Behavior in the Japanese school, the students were more active and engaging. They are eager to ask questions and they are more boisterous. Adams, R.J., Elliot, C., Sockalingam. (1999). Communication Patterns and Assumptions. Office of Multicultural Health, Department of Human Resources. Retrieved on 2-12-2009 from [] This article is about different cultural groups in the United States and different communication patterns and assumptions. Communication includes: animation/emotion, directness/indirectness, eye contact, gestures, identity orientation, and turn-taking and pause time, space, time, touch, and vocal patterns. The article explains communication among the African-Americans, Native Americans, Anglo/European American, Asian American, and Hispanic American populations. The article also investigates the thought patterns and rhetoric styles of the different groups. I found this article particularly useful because as a counselor we should be aware of the different ways of communicating. Being cognizant of these differences will help counselor and student interactions. European Americans do not have to experience cultural differences as a concern within their everyday lives. As a minority the cultural differences can be central extensive. (FA)
 * MAIN POINTS **
 * LINKS AND ANNOTATIONS **

Carrasco, R.L., Riegelhaupt, F., (2000). //Mexico// //host family reactions to a bilingual Chicana teacher in Mexico: a case study of language and culture class.// Bilingual Research Journal. [] Heritage language learners often speak informal dialects. Although these dialects are adequate to interact with family, they may not be accepted to educated speakers of standard varieties of these languages. Spanish heritage language learners in the United States need to be aware of the sociolinguistic features in their dialect that can trigger social and cultural perceptions. As a counselor we need to be aware that people speak in different ways in different regions, and that within those regions there are social class differences. We also must realize many Spanish speakers may be perceived as lower class or uneducated because of the particular dialect. (FA)

Cotton, K. (1993). //Fostering Intercultural Harmony in Schools: Research Finding.// School Improvement Research Series. Retrieved on 2-12-2009 [|from: http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/8/topsyn7.html] Poor race relations among the students, is progressive. It begins in elementary schools when students begin to divide along racial lines. In high school students are already isolated from other racial groups. The United States population is growing more culturally diverse. Multicultural education is not just race and ethnicity anymore, it has expanded to include sexism, classism, and handicapism. What interested me are the different categories that define multicultural education. Examples of what is considered multicultural can be 1) compliance to Civil Rights laws 2) teaching students to culturally assimilate to United States culture 3) human relations teaching tolerance of differences 4) study on single groups, with the idea that knowledge of different groups, will foster appreciation 5) multicultural education taught by promoting knowledge of American cultural diversity 6) education that is multicultural and social reconstructionist. The students would review current social issues and teach them to take political action. Multicultural activities should be introduced very young and when teachers have training, materials and support to deliver high quality multicultural educational activities. I would use this information because it indicated that multicultural education is most advantageous when, it is extensive, long term and instilled into the overall curriculum.(FA) Golafshani,N. (2002) Identity formation through second language learning: A journey through A narrative. Eastern University. Electronic(online),4(1),34 -Retrieved September 24,2008 from []  (ES) Newcomer immigrants lose/leave behind a valuable piece of their identity. Once in the new country, the individual becomes self-aware or conscious of differences. An individual develops a strong desire to belong to a group that helps form a new identity. The new language serves as a tool for belonging. The person may float in a limbo between the two worlds. When the person has to go back to the old, he realizes he has formed a new identity. An individual goes through a series of emotions: confusion, fear, guilt For older adults who migrate to new lands, their motive was for survival.(ES) Hinton, L. (1999) Involuntary Language Loss Among Immigrants:Asian-AmericanLinguistic Autobiographies. Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved March 20,2009 from: [] This article examines the pattern of language shift as English is introduced as a Second Language a//nd why this shift takes place. Many experienced a language shock and reported having difficulties// in assimilating into a brand new culture with a new language, the language shift takes place when children learn English from my sources such as classmates, television, friends and family as children assimilate to the new language, children will reject to speak their native language because they are subjected to assimilative pressures at school and classmates. Children are pressure to conform to the English language, if they don’t assimilate, they will be ridicule and feel a sense of shame, so children will suppress their native language.(ES)

Marcus, N., Adger, C.T., & Artait, I. (2007). //Registering students from language backgrounds other than English// (Issues & Answers Report. REL 2007-No.025)//.// Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia Retrieved from: [| http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/appalachia/pdf/REL_2007025.pdf] This link contains information on how important it is to record students name correctly. Different cultures have different patterns for names, and it may or may not be the expected format. What interested me about the link is the importance in getting students’ name correct. It is Important because inputting names incorrect may cause confusion, it is inputted twice (differently), or simply inputted wrong. This can cause delays in retrieving records when faculty or the students’ need their records. When entering students’ names, there should be established rules for database users to follow. Rules should be influenced, by knowledge of how names are structured in other cultures. As a counselor we have many students to supervise. It personally affects me when names are shortened or students have to "adjust" their name to a nickname. It causes confusion and often delays access of student information when you have to look under different files to get the students complete information. (FA)

Menkart, D. (1993). //Multicultural Education: strategies for linguistically diverse schools and classrooms.// NCBE Program Information Guide Series, Number 16. Retrieved on 2-19-2009 from [] This particular article suggests that the school curriculum needs to reflect the United States full history. The United States has had contributions and experiences from people of color and women. All students should see themselves within our history. This will help students of all races to develop respect and appreciation for each other. A multicultural education should entail tracking systems that do not separate students within schools based on their race or native language. Testing should be culturally and linguistically sensitive. The native language of non-native English speakers should be treated as an asset and not a weakness. School policies and practices many times respect some groups and devalue other groups, this will cause students to develop poor self concepts. As a counselor we need to be aware that different cultures are not uniform and can vary. (FA) Peterson, E. &Coltrane, B. (2003, December). Culture in Second Language Teaching (EDO-FL-03-09) Center for Applied Linguistics Retrieved on September 23, 2008 from:  [] This article discusses the importance of incorporating culture when learning language. A teacher can address proper ways of communication both linguistically and culturally. Language teaching, can include proverbs, Resources, ethnographic studies, l iterature, and film. Through these areas of cultural investigation, students will learn how to understand the target languages, compare the differences between the target and native language, and learn to interact with people in the target language. Instructional strategies for teaching language and culture need to be carefully organized into lesson plans. (ES) Saville-Troike, M. (1978) Culture in the Classroom. Washington DC:National Clearinghouse For Bilingual Education. Retrieved on March20, 2009 from [|http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/classicshtm /culture/index]  .htm(ES) This study addresses the role of culture in bilingual classroom. Its role in the classroom is to explore the relationship of language, culture, education, to recommend equal Educational opportunity for minority-group students. Our task is to explore the positive and humanistic aspects of this force can be maximized in education not as replacing 0f the culture of the home but as an additive process.